I am more amazed by the choice of Princess Akishino (Princess Kiko)?. On what basis is she been chosen? How can someone who never work before and whose life is been dictated by the IHA be a global leader? If giving birth to a long anticipated heir to the throne made her a global leader, then I am very sorry for other more outstanding women around the world.

Apparantly the selection criteria does not apply to her. She married Prince Akishino immediately after her studies, no working experience, did not complete her PhD and only see her walking behind her husband on official visit. The only accomplishment i can see is giving birth to Prince Hisahito. Even her profile is so pathetic compared to the others.

For those of you who don't have time to read my comment below, here's my overall verdict of this list:

..if this list is purely nominal, as in, they put the people on the list who happen to have the particular role, like Fred in Denmark, then I can understand it. Somewhat.

But really, fundamentally, this list shows how arbitrary, unsupported this list really is.

As I said in another forum about this, the powers of nepotism are clearly at play here, i.e. Fred. What, indeed, is he doing for the world? Nothing against him, but clearly he isn't ready in the eyes of most, to deserve to be on this list.

WA is another matter. Sure, he's got to where he is by sheer luck, being born into the most powerful family of his country. BUT, he clearly has stepped up to the plate to use his position to try to make a difference in the world, with his water initiatives. Compare him for a second to Frederik--no offense, but Willem Alexander comes across as a leader much much more clearly than Fred.

If the list was by merit, Maxima should also be on the list: she's done her bit for the micro credit initiative, that really really has to be said. According to my book, she's much more leader material than Fred, just evidenced by what she's been involved with this past year, versus Fred.

Mabel DOES belong on that list. By sheer merit and vision and hard work. She's about the ONLY one who would be on this list no matter what. All the others, if they hadn't had some sort of "help" i.e. influential family connections, might not have been on this list.

Anyway with lists like this, 'Fred as world leader', is it any wonder that most of the world would roll their eyes about all these ineffective royals on it? And dismiss the list as a whole, because of its ridiculousness? Didn't think so.

This is unfair, Kiko can be seen as a global leader in that she does actually have patronages that she works for. Not being the crown prince's wife she has more freedom in the role she takes. She doesn't just accompany her husband but carries out engagements on her own, now she's bringing along her oldest daughter as well as 'training'. Although technically on maternity leave, the IHA announced that Kiko would retire for a year to raise her baby. She instead went back to carrying out official duties 2 months after Hisahito's birth. This is not the norm in Japanese society women do not work when they have babies. As far as Japanese society is concerned she is a role model for women in the fact, yes she did marry straight from her university undergraduate degree but she was still at university at the time doing a post-graduate degree. She continued with her studies even after her marriage and the birth of her 2 daughters. Japanese women of her generation did not continue with their education once they were married and even today Japanese women basically have to choose marriage or career, ( in here substitute university study) it's still an either or situation not you can do both as it is in western countries.

Kiko has been much more successful in being a role model for Japanese women than Masako has, ( although to be fair she didn't have the pressure of being the crown princess) even having a third child was a positive move in a country where the birth rate is now less than the death rate. It's causing a demographic crisis as women are either not having children or chosing to only have one child. (The Australian treasurer wants Australians to have a third child as he said 'one for the country' to halt Australians aging demographics so it's not just the old fuddies in Japan making these comments)

There's still very much the perception of "a life dictated by the IHA" Japanese royals do and have in the past done what they wanted even if the IHA have said 'don't do it" Eg married people the IHA courtiers didn't want,( Michiko, Masako) publish the war diaries of their Imperial prince husband ( Princess Takamatsu) bring up their own children ( Akihito and Michiko)

Kiko's profile is not pathetic compared to the others, she has carried out overseas trips, studied, and worked with her patronages and on top of this was married and has a family. In Japanese society she is a leader and a role model for Japanese women.

Maybe you should read all the profiles listed in the Global leader website before remarking that hers is not pathetic. Not a single cause/patronage is listed.

Maybe she is the leader in Japan. But this is a global leader award. So what if she was doing her PhD studies, the fact is that she did not complete studies, left it half hanging for 10 years. There are peoples/women around the world who are pursuing their academic qualification when pursuing a full time career and juggling a family at the same time. I will think that she will have sufficient time/help to complete her studies from the years between when her 2 elder girls are independant to take care of themselves and before she is pregnant with Hisahito.

As for going back to official duties 2 months after Hisahito's birth, that is rather the norm for all the royal ladies around the world + women around the world in workforce. What's more it does not means that she need to be physically at work for at least 8 hours everyday.

As for her official duties, she is not visible at international cause and I definitely did not recall any single international event that she carried out alone overseas.

There are aging population crisis in the world due to less babies been born - the reason been that the high cost involve in raising a child and that women need to work to help to subsidy the family earning. The main reason for not having more children is what Kiko do not have to worry about. What's more the fact that she did not have the 3rd child immediately after her 2nd girl seems that it is more a duty of call for her than the fact that she wanted a 3rd child in the 1st place. I do not think it is of leadership traits to have a child out of duty than out of your own desire to have the child. Of course, if you are thinking out of corporate mindset, then maybe she fit in (willingness to 'sacrifice' for the 'organisation' ). But no, I will not see her as a modern role model.

Anyway, they really better watch it with this list; if next year's looks like this one, with people like kiko and Fred (fine people both, I'm sure, but World Leaders? Please.) less and less people will take it seriously.

WA has many accomplishments to his name, but Maxima has a higher international profile. Water management is very important of course, but microcredit is a 'sexier' ( if that's the right word ) cause these days.

I think WA deserves to be on this list, I am just surprised that his wife didn't make the cut too.

Maybe you should read all the profiles listed in the Global leader website before remarking that hers is not pathetic. Not a single cause/patronage is listed.

Maybe she is the leader in Japan. But this is a global leader award. So what if she was doing her PhD studies, the fact is that she did not complete studies, left it half hanging for 10 years. There are peoples/women around the world who are pursuing their academic qualification when pursuing a full time career and juggling a family at the same time. I will think that she will have sufficient time/help to complete her studies from the years between when her 2 elder girls are independant to take care of themselves and before she is pregnant with Hisahito.

As for going back to official duties 2 months after Hisahito's birth, that is rather the norm for all the royal ladies around the world + women around the world in workforce. What's more it does not means that she need to be physically at work for at least 8 hours everyday.

As for her official duties, she is not visible at international cause and I definitely did not recall any single international event that she carried out alone overseas.

There are aging population crisis in the world due to less babies been born - the reason been that the high cost involve in raising a child and that women need to work to help to subsidy the family earning. The main reason for not having more children is what Kiko do not have to worry about. What's more the fact that she did not have the 3rd child immediately after her 2nd girl seems that it is more a duty of call for her than the fact that she wanted a 3rd child in the 1st place. I do not think it is of leadership traits to have a child out of duty than out of your own desire to have the child. Of course, if you are thinking out of corporate mindset, then maybe she fit in (willingness to 'sacrifice' for the 'organisation' ). But no, I will not see her as a modern role model.

I totally agree with you tlklhm. Reading the profiles of a number of the recipients I had to wonder why they made the cut, but they did. Just because you don't like Tom, Dick or Harry doesnt make them unworthy of recieving the award. The recipients have been chosen for various reasons, all of them considered to be worthy of the title 'Young Global Leader'.
Congratulations to all of them.

Maybe you should read all the profiles listed in the Global leader website before remarking that hers is not pathetic. Not a single cause/patronage is listed.

Maybe she is the leader in Japan. But this is a global leader award. So what if she was doing her PhD studies, the fact is that she did not complete studies, left it half hanging for 10 years. There are peoples/women around the world who are pursuing their academic qualification when pursuing a full time career and juggling a family at the same time. I will think that she will have sufficient time/help to complete her studies from the years between when her 2 elder girls are independant to take care of themselves and before she is pregnant with Hisahito.

As for going back to official duties 2 months after Hisahito's birth, that is rather the norm for all the royal ladies around the world + women around the world in workforce. What's more it does not means that she need to be physically at work for at least 8 hours everyday.

As for her official duties, she is not visible at international cause and I definitely did not recall any single international event that she carried out alone overseas.

There are aging population crisis in the world due to less babies been born - the reason been that the high cost involve in raising a child and that women need to work to help to subsidy the family earning. The main reason for not having more children is what Kiko do not have to worry about. What's more the fact that she did not have the 3rd child immediately after her 2nd girl seems that it is more a duty of call for her than the fact that she wanted a 3rd child in the 1st place. I do not think it is of leadership traits to have a child out of duty than out of your own desire to have the child. Of course, if you are thinking out of corporate mindset, then maybe she fit in (willingness to 'sacrifice' for the 'organisation' ). But no, I will not see her as a modern role model.

While you may not see her as a modern role model, she is in the society that is present day Japan. It's a society where women still have to chose either marriage or a career you can't have both. It's also marriage or study you can't do both, Kiko did, while she didn't finish, the fact is she did continue with her studies once married.
While other princesses may go back to work soon after having children that's not relevant in Japan, as the Japanese say 'that's not the Japanese way' when dismissing a way of doing things that are different or are done in other countries. What is relevant and a much more powerful role model in Japan is that a Japanese princess went back to work after having her baby. This is a country where 2 years ago a female Japanese doctor became the first female doctor to return to work after having a child and said she would hope to be a role model for other female doctors ( scarce as they are) to return to work after having children.
The fact that you may not be aware of any individual official engagments Kiko's performed, doesn't mean she hasn't done any! Japanese royals get very little coverage in western media, and she's not the crown princess.
Yes it's a global world leader award, but is Japan not part of the global world?
Her being named a global leader is much more relevant and will receive far more publicity in Japan and Japanese media than any other royal. That's what is important as far as her being a role model in Japan where only 9% of women have leadership positions and there are fewer women in parliament today than there were when women were first elected to parliament after WW2.
Not everything can be looked at in a western perspective, what to westerners may seem pathetic is actually a major achievement for women leaders in Japan.
(Kiko's patronages are listed on the official site of the Japanese royals, if they weren't listed on the global leaders site, then that's just laziness on their part)

The reason for women in Japan having fewer children is not the high cost of raising them and women having to work. Women in Japan generally give up work when they get married if not when they get married, it's when they have children. They never re-enter the workforce. Families are single income. Again western reasons do not apply in Japan. It's more to do with the fact that women have to choose, marriage or a career, more are choosing to remain single.

While you may not see her as a modern role model, she is in the society that is present day Japan. It's a society where women still have to chose either marriage or a career you can't have both. It's also marriage or study you can't do both, Kiko did, while she didn't finish, the fact is she did continue with her studies once married.
While other princesses may go back to work soon after having children that's not relevant in Japan, as the Japanese say 'that's not the Japanese way' when dismissing a way of doing things that are different or are done in other countries. What is relevant and a much more powerful role model in Japan is that a Japanese princess went back to work after having her baby. This is a country where 2 years ago a female Japanese doctor became the first female doctor to return to work after having a child and said she would hope to be a role model for other female doctors ( scarce as they are) to return to work after having children.
The fact that you may not be aware of any individual official engagments Kiko's performed, doesn't mean she hasn't done any! Japanese royals get very little coverage in western media, and she's not the crown princess.
Yes it's a global world leader award, but is Japan not part of the global world?
Her being named a global leader is much more relevant and will receive far more publicity in Japan and Japanese media than any other royal. That's what is important as far as her being a role model in Japan where only 9% of women have leadership positions and there are fewer women in parliament today than there were when women were first elected to parliament after WW2.
Not everything can be looked at in a western perspective, what to westerners may seem pathetic is actually a major achievement for women leaders in Japan.
(Kiko's patronages are listed on the official site of the Japanese royals, if they weren't listed on the global leaders site, then that's just laziness on their part)

The reason for women in Japan having fewer children is not the high cost of raising them and women having to work. Women in Japan generally give up work when they get married if not when they get married, it's when they have children. They never re-enter the workforce. Families are single income. Again western reasons do not apply in Japan. It's more to do with the fact that women have to choose, marriage or a career, more are choosing to remain single.

In the 1st place, I am not from a western country but a Asia country.

As what you said, Japanese family is a single income family. And with the high stress and high standard of living, it is precisely the reason why the Japanese are not having more children. But this is not the case for Kiko - she have means to raise the children and at the same time, all the resources to help her with her family so there is no reason why she cannot go back to her official duties earlier or she couldn't complete her studies and left it hanging for 10 years. A leader does not do things half way. This is very bad model - even we told our children not to quit half way.

The modern Japanese definitely do not see their royal family as role model. In fact they see them as living out of the modern world and they are very disappointed when Masako quit her high flying career to married the CP - she will be the role model for Japanese women before her marriage. I have friends/contacts in Japan that could not be bothered with the royal family.

What is important to the Japanese women is a raise in social and corporate status - not someone who acede to tradition to have a male heir. Because of her giving birth to Hisahito, there will never be a chance for a female empress which can made a lot of difference to female status in Japan. This is just like in my traditional chinese family that insist on a male heir to carry on the family name. She will be a role model for these traditionalist.

By the way, since her patronages are listed in the website, why did the global leader site only be lazy on her profile but not the other awardees? Can it be that she is been awarded because of her 'committment' to the 'organisation' by giving birth to a male heir despite her age and that is definitely not something to be listed in her profile.

i must say i'm more than happy for those royals who are on the list: willem, haakon, mathilde, victoria among others really deserve the distinction.

although, after reading princess olga's post, i must say i think it's as well quite arbitrary. who chooses the people in the list? what is the criteria for that? i barely think mabel or frederik have reasons to be on the list. i personally didn't see them performing more than 2 or 3 activities last year connected with international welfare.

i also believe maxima did an amazingly ambitious and well done job last year and the years before with the microcredits, she travelled here and there during the last 3 years, as far as i recall, from south america to africa, while attending conferences as well in north america and europe. perhaps the reason for not choosing her is because they can only choose one representant per country and willem alexander was chosen. perhaps she may be in the list next year, as well as mette marit, who also worked for unaids and tavelled to a couple of places (she hasn't been in the position of unaids representative for long but she still performed duties on aids in norway and the world before her role for the UN), who may be chosen next year instead of haakon.

i must say i'm more than happy for those royals who are on the list: willem, haakon, mathilde, victoria among others really deserve the distinction.

although, after reading princess olga's post, i must say i think it's as well quite arbitrary. who chooses the people in the list? what is the criteria for that? i barely think mabel or frederik have reasons to be on the list. i personally didn't see them performing more than 2 or 3 activities last year connected with international welfare.

i also believe maxima did an amazingly ambitious and well done job last year and the years before with the microcredits, she travelled here and there during the last 3 years, as far as i recall, from south america to africa, while attending conferences as well in north america and europe. perhaps the reason for not choosing her is because they can only choose one representant per country and willem alexander was chosen. perhaps she may be in the list next year, as well as mette marit, who also worked for unaids and tavelled to a couple of places (she hasn't been in the position of unaids representative for long but she still performed duties on aids in norway and the world before her role for the UN), who may be chosen next year instead of haakon.

The selection criteria and the selection commitee are both on the YGL website, which you can find here.
The selection criteria is as follows:
are 40 years of age or younger at the time of nomination (to be eligible for the 2007 nomination process, the candidates must have been born on or after 1 January 1967);
have a recognized record of extraordinary achievement and substantial leadership experience. Typically, the candidate would have 5-15 years of outstanding professional work experience and a clear indication of playing a substantial leadership role for the rest of his or her career;
have demonstrated a commitment to serve society at large through exceptional contributions;
are ready to invest time and energy in the organization’s purpose and activities.

And the selection commitee is chaired by Queen Rania, so that could possibly have something to do with some of the royals being on the list, but I'm sure all the candidates were treated fairly and with a lot of thought.

And I would just like to congratulate all the royals, and the other people, who have been named Global Leaders!

WA has many accomplishments to his name, but Maxima has a higher international profile. Water management is very important of course, but microcredit is a 'sexier' ( if that's the right word ) cause these days.

I think WA deserves to be on this list, I am just surprised that his wife didn't make the cut too.

I think Maxima is 'sexier' then WA. If he would be doing microcredits and she would be doing watermanagment I think she would receive more attention to, dispite the subject.

Mabel DOES belong on that list. By sheer merit and vision and hard work. She's about the ONLY one who would be on this list no matter what. All the others, if they hadn't had some sort of "help" i.e. influential family connections, might not have been on this list.

Now now, I think Mabels relationship with the married Bosnian gov. minister has helped her to, for example to attend the Dayton summit. And I am sure that she had other that helped her to in her carreer.

Wow. I've never been as interested in W-A, being more a fan of his wife, but the more I read about him on this thread, the more I like and respect him. He in the chairperson for the water and sanitation board, he ran the New York Marathon- he really is an impressive person!

__________________

The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Hmm... then we're two finding it rather odd... Frederick a global leader??
Perhaps I'm a bit partial on the matter, but how come Frederick of Denmark is a more prominant leader than Felipe of Spain?...

Oh well...

Maybe Felipe didn't apply. In order to be included in the list, you need someone to write you a good nomination letter. Felipe had never been on the list before, neither were the Infantas. With the global success of the Prince of Asturias Foundation, he appears more to be a leader. Cristina was named the ambassador of UNESECO, her private job involves lots of social work internationally, she was never on the list.
Actually I think most of the royals on the list don't deserve to be there. Most of them work as goodwill ambassadors and help to bring awareness to the causes, but that doesn't make them to be world leaders.

I have to admit I find this list quite surprising, the only name that truly deserves to be there imo is Prince Zeid. Moreover I find it ridiculous that Fred is included on such a list when Felipe and Charles are not.

I have to admit I find this list quite surprising, the only name that truly deserves to be there imo is Prince Zeid. Moreover I find it ridiculous that Fred is included on such a list when Felipe and Charles are not.